Post driver



April u, 1967 E. R. CLEVENGER POST DRIVER Filed OCT'. 28, 1964 W Rn mw w@ ,N 1P. r e.

57 QmnoH United States Patent Ofi-ice 3,3i356 Patented Apr. 11, 1967 3,313,356 POST DRIVER Eimer R. Cievenger, 3602 Webster St., Fort Wayne, 1nd. 46807 Fiied Get. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 407,068 4 Claims. (Cl. 173-91) This invention relatesto a tool known as a post driver, which, as its name implies, is a device used to drive a post into the ground. The post may be in the form of a solid round piece of wood, metal bar, or piece of pipe.

A search through hardware catalogs produces only one kind of post driver, namely a heavy piece of steel tubing having a weighted upper end. This device is not only heavy to handle, but is also of questionable value if the person handling it is not overly strong,

It is therefore the first object of this invention to provide a post driver that by reason of its novel internal construction, can successfully be used by anyone to quickly drive a post or pipe into the ground in a minimum of time.

The second object of this invention is to provi-de a post driver that does not have any heavy weight for its driving power.

The third object of this invention is to provide a post driver that does not contain any complicated mechanism.

The fourth object of this invention is to provide a post driver that is spring loaded.

The fifth, though by no means the last, object of this invention is to provide a pipe driver that is equipped with two horizontal handles that permit one to 'get a firm grip on the tool and therefore have little or no danger of dropping the same with resultant possible injury to the operator of the driver or damage to the device.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, together with certain details of construction and combination of parts, will be apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawing, wherein for purposes of illustration, a preferred embodiment of this invention is shown,

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of this invention taken substantially along line 1-1 of FIGURE 2 and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of this invention of a post driver.

FGURE 3 is a pictorial view of this invention being used while a second post shown in phantom lines is set nearby and ready to be driven into the ground.

Referring to the several figures of the drawing, wherein the same reference numbers are used to designate t-he same elements of this invention, the reference number 5 indicates this invention in its entirety, an invention that consists of a tubular member 6 that has an inside diameter that is slightly larger than that of the post or pipe it is to drive into the ground. A second tubular member 7 has an inside diameter the same as that of the outside diameter of the first mentioned tubular member 6, to which it is secured by the peripheral weld 8 as best shown in FIGURE 1 of the appended drawing. A ram block 9, having a base 10 of a diameter that is slightly greater than that of the aforesaid inside diameter of the Vtubular member 6, is located directly on top of this last mentioned member. The base 10 is provided with a circular recess 11 with the sarne diameter as that of the post to be driven into the ground. T'he upper end of the aforesaid ram block 9 is of a smaller diameter than that of its base 10, thereby providing a peripheral shoulder on which rests the lower end of the compression spring 12, that has its upper end encompassing the lower portion 13 of the stepped butt block 14, which has its outside periphery welded to the top of the second mentioned tubular member 7, in which it is located. The just mentioned weld is indicated in the drawing by the reference number 15. A horizontally disposed handle 16 that is made from hollow steel tubing or the like is welded on the lower end of each side of the aforesaid tubular member 6, down near its open end 17.

The way in which this invention is used is quite simple. The device is placed over the top of the post 18 by the two handles 16 and pushed downward as far as it will go, thereby compressing the spring 12 which will now react and push the entire tool upward. The operator of the tool will now push it back down again. This rapid action of this post driver will naturally drive the post into the ground in a minimum of time, and with a minimum of effort. The action just described can be said to be similar to that obtained by jumping up and down on a trampoline. The very fact that the compression spring 12 does not actually touch the inside of the tubular member 7 in which it is encased, will increase the overall efciency of this device by reason of the lack of any friction.

It is to be understood that this invention of a post driver is subject to any changes and modifications that will fall within the scope and intent of the appended claims. It is also to be understood that this invention can be made to t any size of fence post or other object of similar shape that is to be driven into the ground.

What I now claim as new and desire to protect by the grant of Letters Patent is:

1. A post driver comprising, an elongated tubular member which has an inside diameter slightly larger than that of a post that is to be driven, a second elongated tubular mem-ber having an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of the first tubular member, one end of the second tubular member telescoping over one end of the first tubular member and permanently secured in that position, a cylindrical ram block slidably positioned in the second tubular member, said ram yblock having a diameter such that the rarn block slides in said second tubular member but is too large to pass into the first tubular member, a closure secured to the other end of the second tubular member and a coil spring extending from the closure to the ram block, whereby the first tubular member can be placed over the end of a post that is to be driven and the driver repeatedly moved up and down to cause the ram block to oscillate and repeatedly cause impact .between the end of the post and the ram block to drive the post into the ground.

2. The combination of claim 1 including straight handle members secured to opposite sides of one of the tubular members and extending radially thereof.

3. The combination of claim 2 in which the closure has a reduced cylindrical portion fitting into one end of the coil spring and the ram block has a :reduced cylindrical portion fitting into the other end of the coil spring.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which the tubular members are secured together by a circumferential weld.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 897,573 9/1908 Beard 173-126 2,998,087 8/ 1961 Iddings 173-126 3,143,817 8/1964 Paulson 173-90 FRED C. MATTERN, J R, Primary Examiner. L. P. KESSLER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A POST DRIVER COMPRISING, AN ELONGATED TUBULAR MEANBER WHICH HAS AN INSIDE DIAMETER SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN THAT OF A POST THAT IS TO BE DRIVEN, A SECOND ELONGATED TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING AN INSIDE DIAMETER SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF THE FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER, ONE END OF THE SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER TELESCOPING OVER ONE END OF THE FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER AND PERMANENTLY SECURED IN THAT POSITION, A CYLINDRICAL RAM BLOCK SLIDABLY POSITIONED IN THE SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID RAM BLOCK HAVING A DIAMETER SUCH THAT THE RAM BLOCK SLIDES IN SAID SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER BUT IS TOO LARGE TO PASS INTO THE FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER, A CLOSURE SECURED TO THE OTHER END OF THE SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER AND A COIL SPRING EXTENDING FROM THE CLOSURE TO THE RAM BLOCK, WHEREBY THE FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER CAN BE PLACED OVER THE END OF A POST THAT IS TO BE DRIVEN AND THE DRIVER REPEATEDLY MOVED UP AND DOWN TO CAUSE THE RAM BLOCK TO OSCILLATE AND REPEATEDLY CAUSE IMPACT BETWEEN THE END OF THE POST AND THE RAM BLOCK TO DRIVE THE POST INTO THE GROUND. 